EAST LANSING, Mich. – Riding a doubles point a quartet of singles victories, the Purdue men's tennis team picked up a 5-2 win on the road at Michigan State on Sunday afternoon.
It took a tiebreak in the final doubles match to put Purdue ahead to start the contest. Gabriele Brancatelli and Athell Bennet cruised to a 6-3 win at No. 2 over Anthony Pero and Josh Mukherjee. The Spartans bounced back with a 7-5 win at No. 3. Michal Wozniak and Piotr Galus delivered the opening point for Purdue by outlasting Graydon Lair and Jack Winkler in a tiebreak 7-6 (4) at No. 1.
After Michigan State pulled even with a retirement win at No. 2, Wozniak gave the Boilermakers a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 6 against Anthony Pero. The hosts battled back to win at No. 5 to make it 2-2 for the match.
Sebastian Welch pulled Purdue within a point of clinching with his straight sets win against Luke Baylis at No. 2 6-4, 7-5.
Athell Bennett sealed the road win with his 6-3, 7-6(2) victory over Jack Winkler at the top of the order.
Rohan Sachdev added to the margin with a straight set victory, both in tiebreaks, over Graydon Lair at No. 4, 7-6(4), 7-6(4).
UP NEXT
The Boilermakers will return home for the final pair of matches at the Schwartz Tennis Center this year. Purdue will host Kids Day twice with matches against Nebraska on Saturday and Wisconsin on Sunday. Fans will be able to participate in several activities geared toward teaching tennis and interacting with the program.
PURDUE (9-10, 2-3) – 5, MICHIGAN STATE (14-10, 1-5) – 2
Singles
1. Athell Bennett (PUR) def. Jack Winkler (MSU) - 6-3, 7-6 (2)
2. Max Sheldon (MSU) def. Gabriele Brancatelli (PUR) – 6-1, retire
3. Sebastian Welch (PUR) def. Luke Baylis (MSU) – 6-4, 7-5
4. Rohan Sachdev (PUR) def. Graydon Lair (MSU) – 7-6(4), 7-6(4)
5. Carson Gates (MSU) def. Piotr Galus (PUR) – 6-3, 6-2
6. Michal Wozniak (PUR) def. Anthony Pero (MSU) – 6-4, 6-1
Doubles
1. Michal Wozniak/Piotr Galus (PUR) def. Graydon Lair/Jack Winkler (MSU) 7-6 (4)
2. Athell Bennett/Gabriele Brancatelli (PUR) def. Anthony Pero/Josh Mukherjee (MSU) – 6-3
3. Nick Williams/Reed Crocker (MSU) def. Sebastian Welch/Milledge Cossu (PUR) – 7-5
Order of Finish
Singles: 2,6,5,3,1,4
Doubles: 2,3